More Graduations Announced for SKE48 Members: Ami Kobayashi (Team E), Risa Ogino & Yuka Sasaki (KKS)

| Idol | Posted by Kai Okudara on Feb.09.2015

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SKE48 Kenkyuusei (trainees) Risa Ogino and Yuka Sasaki announced their graduation from the group at the end of the February 4th theater performance and Team E member Ami Kobayashi announced her graduation from the group on February 6th. With this, the number of pending graduations in SKE48 for 2015 is 8 (9 including Nana Yamada who is in both NMB48 and SKE48), two per team.

Risa Ogino and Yuka Sasaki both said that they were graduating to pursue new dreams. Ami Kobayashi’s voice was shaky as she interrupted leader Akari Suda to announce that she would be leaving but continuing to work in the entertainment industry. Even though she had been like oil and water with Kobayashi onscreen, Aya Shibata was unable to lift her eyes from the floor during the announcement. Tears ran down the cheeks of Marika Tani, who was standing next to Kobayashi.

Ogino was the only 5th generation Kenkyuusei to not be promoted to a team, second in seniority to “honorary lifetime SKE48 Kenkyuusei” Kaori Matsumura (3rd generation) and had participated in several coupling songs for AKB48/SKE48 singles. Sasaki joined during the 6th generation auditions and participated in one coupling song for a SKE48 single. Despite ranking #47th in 2013 and #77th in 2014 for the AKB48 General Election, Kobayashi was limited to participating in the coupling songs for SKE48/AKB48 singles. Sasaki will graduate on February 28 and Kobayashi and Ogino will graduate at the end of March.

SKE48 official site: http://www.ske48.co.jp/